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Written by Elizabeth Roehrig Photographed by Evan Joseph Produced By Wendy Manwarren and Elizabeth Roehrig

Despite its intended purpose as a spot to park the car, the garage has morphed into a multifunctional space for many of us, serving as shed, workshop, and storage locker. But this family's dilapidated garage was being underutilized, as the previous owners had torn out most of the crumbling drywall, and the place had no electricity. Luckily, the Home Team had a three-day plan to fix it up. First, we cleared out the clutter, then gave the cement floor a durable epoxy coating, and hung slot-wall panels over the studs (we left the electrical wiring to the pros). Rolling cabinets and workbenches round out this newly efficient space.

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Deep channels in the slot-wall panels are designed to accommodate accessories such as these shelves, left, that help keep everything off the floor. They can be installed anywhere on the wall and simply pop into place, making them easy to rearrange as needed. Photographer: Evan Joseph

Deep channels in the slot-wall panels are designed to accommodate accessories such as these shelves, left, that help keep everything off the floor. They can be installed anywhere on the wall and simply pop into place, making them easy to rearrange as needed. Photographer: Evan Joseph

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Photographer: Evan Joseph

Photographer: Evan Joseph

The orange steel pegboard is meant to be used with companion hooks to organize your tools. But it also makes a fantastic magnetic memo board where you can display inspiring pictures or instructions for projects. A pendant light, comfortable stool, and colorful indoor/outdoor rug, opposite, give the garage a cozy workshop feel.

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Photographer: Evan Joseph

Photographer: Evan Joseph

To give the garage a finished look, we added baseboards (which also served to disguise a slight gap between floor and wall panels) and molding around the windows. Then we tackled the ceiling. To freshen up the exposed rafters, we painted them bright white. Smaller rolling cabinets can be tucked away under a workbench or pulled out if you need an extra surface for DIY projects.

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Photographer: Evan Joseph

Photographer: Evan Joseph

Helping the homeowners keep the garage organized was vital, so we set up stations for specific jobs. In this corner, we created a garden/potting center that's equipped with essential supplies. Another necessity: a roomy, easy-to-clean bag packed with tools, seeds, and gardening gloves to tote around the yard.

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Photographer: Evan Joseph

Photographer: Evan Joseph

We replaced it with a new insulated steel-and-composite carriage house-style door and installed a garage door opener for security. To coordinate with the siding, we applied matching exterior latex paint to the door panels.